Gundam Wing Fan Fiction ❯ Mistaken Words ❯ The Return... ( Chapter 21 )

[ T - Teen: Not suitable for readers under 13 ]

Mistaken Words

Thanks to neekabe for editing these chapters for me!

Disclaimer: I don't own Gundam Wing!

The Return…

Keeping his back pressed firmly to the wall Zechs slipped from the palace unnoticed. He couldn't begin to imagine the uproar—subdued as it would have to be—once they realised he was gone. It had become abundantly clear to him over the years that his security service truly believed he needed them to keep himself alive. And it was for just such an occasion as this that he had allowed them to live with this preconceived notion. Their defences of him left much to be desired, perhaps a regular assassin wouldn't be able to make it through, but at the same time they had no hope in hell of keeping him in.

A devilish smile crossed his lips as he climbed into a nondescript car, quickly pulled the previously lifted keys from his pocket, and drove away. Noin was the only one who knew he had left, despite his need for secrecy Zechs simply could leave without letting her know at least something. He hadn't been all that clear on where it was that he had need to be, but then again she had not pressed. She trusted his judgement. If this was important enough for him to be going himself than she could easily respect that. She, more than anyone, knew what he was capable of.

The city about him still slept soundly as the morning sun slowly rose to bath the world. The air was cool, but he could feel that it would not be long now before the warmth of spring held a steadfast grip. He had never really been one to care overly much about the weather or season. There was always something more important to be considering, and this morning was no different for him. His emotions were incredibly mixed, anger, rage, and a strange form of anticipation washed over him in waves, and with them came memories that only strengthened the first two emotions. This was a moment he could hardly believe was finally upon him, so long had he waited to bring justice to this traitor.

Making a conscious effort to loosen his grip on the steering wheel Zechs pulled into the small spaceport, ice blue eyes already locked upon the shuttle he had chosen for his twelve-hour trip. On such short notice this shuttle was the best he could get a hold of, that could one, make the distance, and two; provide a cover that would not stir up questions. The shuttle was carrying a shipment of metal used to repair a satellite, and if he were truly travelling to repair something like that he would have to refuel at Freedom's Point. That was one of his two problems solved the last was being recognised; it wasn't like he could really just blend into a crowd, not with his hair the way it was and the amount of airtime he had to deal with being the king of the world. But there was nothing to be done for it. The long coat he wore hid his hair rather well, yet he doubted that would be enough, nevertheless he wasn't going to let that deter him.

Pulling open the hatch Zechs ducked his head and climbed into the shuttle, eyes adjusting the sudden dimness. The hatch opened into the main holding compartment of the shuttle revealing large piles of metal all carefully secured. He passed through without a giving it a second glance, making his way to the cockpit. Crossing the threshold Zechs felt the second presence immediately, and he blinked in surprise as he dropped down into the chair. "What the hell are you doing here?" he demanded not even bothering to look over at the other man as he began checking systems.

"I got the email," Wufei replied calmly as though that should have answered everything.

"How?!" Now Zechs did look over to the Chinese man, eyes like daggers of ice.

"A search program I've had running for some time," Wufei began folding his arms over his chest. "The program was designed to search for any signs of Heero, and that email was encoded with an encryption that he's used before."

Silence filled the shuttle for several minutes as Zechs went back to the preparations, he was more than a little irritated that Wufei had gained access to that email, but at the same time he could see the bonuses to it as well. Wufei's face was not nearly so well known as his own, which would be an advantage when the had to dock at Freedom's Point, however if the Chinese man attempted to interfere, he'd quickly out last his welcome . As he worked Zechs could feel the former pilot's eyes watching him, and he knew there was something on Wufei's mind, most likely something he didn't want to be considering right now.

"Zechs you can't kill him," Wufei finally spoke his thoughts.

"Like hell I can't!" Zechs growled back pulling his gun from under his coat to aim it at Wufei, "And if you don't like that, there's nothing keeping you here."

"You know it could be all to easy for me to put an end to this trip," Zechs' eyes narrowed in rage at that threat, but Wufei was quick to continue. "Just hear me out, we all want answers if you kill him now we'll never get them. Don't you think Relena deserves to know why he tried to kill her?"

Zechs' hand clenched on yoke before him as he bent forward remembering all too clearly the day Relena's blood had stained a stage of peace. All the emotions of that first second seem to flood back to him then and he fought to breathe. Vaguely he heard Wufei calling his name, but he didn't want to think about anything other than the fire burning in him. The rage begged him to just surrender and ride its wave, and the more he fought against it the greater the need to just let go became. But he knew the moment he gave in was the moment he lost himself completely, the need to give in might leave but the emotion, the fire of horrific anger would continue to grow, to swallow up whatever reasoning thought he had left.

Drawing in a ragged breath Zechs opened his tightly clenched eyes, locking an icy glare on Wufei's perplexed face. It took him a moment to realise that his hands were aching from the death grip he held on the shuttle's controls, and slowly he released them wondering if they had been damaged. "If you won't do it for Relena," Wufei continued seeming not to care in the least about the anger he had stirred within Zechs, "Do you really want to give Heero what he wants?"

Zechs turned his chair away from the controls; hands clenched in fists as he suddenly came to his feet. "Just get us there," he seethed not deigning to answer the question Wufei had posed to him. With every muscle tensed he strode from the cockpit, "Death is too good for him…" he muttered darkly to himself.

Feeling like he needed to be in an open space Zechs found himself in the cargo hold of the shuttle, and began to pace across the distance. He knew there wasn't too much time before he'd have to strap himself in for the takeoff, but he intended to make full use of the time available. He needed to cool himself down as much as possible. However he had a strong feeling cool was the last thing he'd be on this day. Zechs raked a hand through his long platinum coloured hair as he continued to stride across the rather short distance, only four paces from one side to the other. Wufei did not bother announcing over the intercom when they were ready to finally depart, but then it wouldn't have been necessary for him too, Zechs could sense the shift in the engine as it powered up.

With a sigh Zechs moved to the far side of the cargo hold where the extra seats were located, and quickly strapped himself in as the shuttle lurched into motion. The familiar sounds of take off had an almost calming effect on Zechs' mind, as he felt a portion of the rage melt away. It did not disappear completely but it did fade allowing him a moment to breathe and think normally. Suddenly with an explosion of force the shuttle shot off towards the atmosphere and outer space. Zechs' body was compressed to his seat by the G-forces they were pulling to try and escape the earth magnetic field, and he found himself revealing in its feel. There were some who found this weight to much to bear, but for a true pilot it was a small price to pay in order to be among the stars.

The roar of the shuttle and deep vibration, which consumed his whole body, were not long in lasting, as they quickly broke through the atmosphere and were surrounded by stars. Zechs' entire body suddenly felt completely weightless despite the fact that the shuttle was equipped with low G gravitational field. Unhooking himself from all the harnesses, Zechs once more came to his feet his platinum hair billowing around him slightly, his pacing was pulled to a halt by Wufei's voice crackling over the com-link as he cutting through the silence. "We'll be arriving at Freedom's Point in elven hours and forty-six minutes."

Nodding his head silently Zechs clenched his fist the only outward sign that the wait was more time than he wanted to give. He wanted more than anything to make it to the colony, and find the bloody little traitor who had mocked and eluded them for three long years. Zechs had to admit if only to himself that a part of him did want the answers that Wufei himself had come seeking, but that part of his mind was about the only rational part working right now. And there was no telling how long his rational side would dominant. He doubted it would be nearly so long as Duo's had held out after the assassination attempt. It had surprised them all at just how well he had taken the betrayal of his best friend, but it had been only a matter of time before he finally snapped.

Zechs' ice blue eyes glanced at the passing doorway, more out of habit than any interest in what might have been inside. But he found himself coming to a stop one hand reaching for the door frame as he studied the man standing within. Duo stood in the very centre of the practice room, empty of all furnishing save a bench resting snugly against one wall, and a few weapons displays on the walls. The former pilot seemed lost in deep thought as his near lavender eyes focused intently upon a random spot in front of him. At almost any other time Zechs would have found himself walking on, not worried about Duo's contemplations, however they had all been worried about the braided man over the last few months, and the room that he was standing in only increased Zechs' concern.

On silent feet Zechs stepped fully into the medium sized room, nothing in Duo's stance shifted but already Zechs was positive his presence was known. Instead of interrupting Zechs made his way to the bench and simply took a seat waiting for Duo to initiate what conversation they might have. The silence was long lasting, and Zechs found irritation slowly forming within him just sitting in this. So much of it reminded him of Yuy, and that was the last thing he wanted to be thinking about right now.

Finally he sighed, partially in frustration, and broke the silence, "Have you picked a new date yet?" he questioned leaning forward so his elbows were propped on his knees as his sharp eyes watched Duo's back.

For several moments Duo neither spoke nor even turned around, but something in the set of his shoulders did change, and it did not bode well. "Hilde wanted Relena to be well enough before we did so she could still be the maid of honour" he responded softly, turning his head just enough to regard Zechs with one eye.

"She's been well for near two months now," it amazed Zechs that his voice sounded so normal when discussing this subject, but he could feel the flames of rage being fanned to life in his core, and he welcomed their heat.

"I know…" Duo responded after several moments silence, his voice carrying a strange hitch within it. "It's just," he turned to fully face Zechs appearing to struggle with the words he needed to express himself. "Damnit!" Duo flared suddenly both fists clenching until his knuckles were white and his arms shook, "You think you know someone!!"

His eyes scanned the room, and Zechs could clearly see in his lavender orbs all the memories that were held there. Memories of a man he had called friend, and had trusted with more than just his life. The news of his betrayal had hit Duo perhaps the hardest. But the rage he was showing now, that fire of unreasoning hatred, was matched by Zechs' simply because Relena was his little sister. And even if he hadn't felt as close to Yuy as Duo did he had approved of the match, and been more than pleased that his little sister was happy with her life.

Zechs felt the hum of the roar begin to build as his rage struggled to break through the dams, striving to be once more released within him, to swallow his being into a red madness. He longed to simply give in, to cease these useless struggles and let the emotion consume him. It was clear even in the growing fog, that Duo's feelings were identical, and Zechs quickly found himself on his feet defending himself against Duo's blinding fury. It was akin to being caught in the middle of a storm; no direction brought safety or a clear horizon, only more red madness. But Zechs was ready he had been waiting for this moment, a time when he could simply give in without fearing the consequences.

The once nearly silent room was now filled with the sounds of limbs smacking off one another, as both men fought with everything they had. Attacking full force without concern for the other's well being, they were both so evenly matched neither gaining ground for more than a second before they found themselves pressed again. "How much of it was a lie?!" Duo demanded of Zechs as if he might hold the answers they all hoped to find.

Duo's leg swept out high aiming for Zechs' head, but the former Lightning Count was not caught by surprise. He caught the leg, rendering it useless for another attack, but his opponent had been expecting that, and dropped himself down onto his hands so he could try and leg sweep Zechs with his other leg. The move was effective Zechs knew already, since Duo could easily pull him off balance by yanking on his own leg before he swept Zechs'. Seeing this out come immediately Zechs released Duo's leg and threw himself backwards, springing from his hands to his feet once more already facing the other man. Duo came back to his feet with equal agility; eyes alight with a terrifying fire.

For a moment they stood there eyes boring into one another Duo's breathing heavy, more from emotions than the exertion they had just gone through. "He used me!" the braided man all but shouted, eyes sparking, "How long had he been planning this?! Using us!"

"Wondering at that now, won't do any good," Zechs found himself saying, but it was not spoken with a tone of consolation, as if he were trying to ease Duo out of his anger. Instead it was prodding Duo inciting his rage to new levels. "The question is what do you want to do about it now?"

Duo's fist clenched as he took a stepped towards Zechs, his face set in firm resolution, "He should die for what he's done."

Zechs found himself nodding his head as he continued to pace, he fully agreed with Duo back then and still now. But he had decided long ago that if anyone was to exact such punishment upon the Japanese man, it would be himself and no one else. It was his right.

The door at the back of the cargo hold slid open announcing Wufei's presence but he paid the other man no mind, and continued to pace. With his rage only barely restrained, Zechs found Wufei's onyx eyes to be an annoyance he wanted very much to do without. The Chinese man didn't say anything, he merely walked on silent feet to the seat Zechs had previously vacated and sat down, eyes continuing their silent contemplations. They wore away at Zechs' patience and he found himself becoming more agitated, so much so that he actually found his hand creeping towards his holstered gun.

Finally being able to take it no longer Zechs stopped, spun about, and glared daggers at the other man, "What the hell do you want?!"

"I want your gun," Wufei replied simply, not at all concerned for the anger he was facing.

"That's not going to happen," Zechs told him while shaking his head, he found very quickly that he simply could not remain standing in one place. That in itself seemed to make the waiting unbearable.

Wufei sighed leaning back in his seat, "You can't kill him Zechs, and having that gun is going to make it too tempting."

"This is my right!" Zechs roared ice ablaze with an icy hatred.

"Answers, Zechs! Do those mean nothing to you?"

"Justice means a little more. You seemed to have forgotten that in your rush to defend the man who nearly killed my sister!" he found himself fuming, his one hand actually caressing the gun that he carried.

That seemed to strike a cord in Wufei, as his eyes narrowed and he came to his feet, "Don't presumed to speak to me about justice! What justice is there in killing an unarmed man?"

"What justice was there in shooting my pacifist sister?!" Zechs was quick to shoot back.

"We can't sink to his level."

"Why do you always defend him?" This had been something that was bothering him for some time, something in Wufei's meeting with Heero had changed his option on the matter. Suddenly he was less desperate to see Yuy's death, to see this matter brought to the end everyone else wanted.

Wufei stepped forward face set sternly, "Do not misunderstand me Zechs, bringing him to justice is just as important to me as you, but I want to know why he did. Who he did it for, so that we can stop this from happening again."

"Who he did it for?" Zechs scoffed, "What if it was no one? What if he simply decided for himself one day that Relena had no right to live?!" he had his gun out now, his hand visibly shaking as he held it out beside him.

"His email seemed to suggest that there was an organisation involved, we need more information, and right now Heero's the only one who has it."

"What did he say to you then?" Zechs demanded with sudden venom, "What lies did he spew."

"Nothing!" Wufei fumed back his face hard and unreadable. With great purpose and determination, the Chinese man stepped forward without a single glance to the weapon Zechs still held at his side. "Look, just use this," from out of his waistband Wufei withdrew another gun, and from his pocket a loaded cartridge. "I'll get my answers, and you will get your revenge," he held the weapon out eyes never leaving Zechs' face.

Silence fell over the cargo hold as Zechs studied the proffered weapon, the fire of his rage still consuming him as it took on new forms directing themselves at the Chinese man. If only he hadn't appeared, matters would have been far simpler, as it stood could he really complete his plan as he had originally wanted? Shit! he thought darkly, all he had wanted was to walk in there letting his anger guide him, and end this chapter of their lives by ending Yuy's. Finally with a bitter growl Zechs grabbed the dart gun, and clip leaving his own in Wufei's hand. He knew if he carried the gun with him there was no assurance Yuy would walk out of their alive.

Wufei nodded his head in satisfaction, before turning to leave, "We'll be there in a little over nine hours."

Nodding mutely in response Zechs began pacing again, his hands running over the weapon, as he mentally prepared himself for what was too come. But it would not arrive soon enough.

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Wufei's onyx eyes scanned the outer wall of the colony as they made their slow approach, his hands rested lightly upon the controls keeping the shuttles course steady with their destination. The ride over had been long and more than a little tense, despite the fact that Zechs had not even entered the cockpit since leaving more than eleven hours ago. The communications buzzer sounded and blinked at him sharply, drawing his attention back to the task at hand. Pressing a switch he opened the lines of communication, waiting for the colony to speak first.

"This is Freedom Point, please state your purpose," a male voice spoke through the silence.

"Refuelling," Wufei told him simply, but decided after a brief second that there could be no harm in elaborating a little, "We're on rout to the L-5 sector, satellite repairs."

There was a few brief moments of communication silence before the response came, "Understood, you're free to dock, prepare to be guided in."

Wufei held his tongue on the last part, this was by far not the first time he had piloted a shuttle, he certainly didn't need to be guided in. But it was standard procedure, and he did not want to draw attention to himself. The hatch to the shuttle port slowly opened before him, and Wufei turned his attention away from his approach to double check the schematics he had found attached to Heero's email to make sure they were heading to the port they wanted. Briefly glancing back over his shoulder Wufei wondered whether or not Zechs was going to make an appearance, considering the way their last conversation went, he doubted it greatly.

It did not take Wufei and the technicians long to dock the shuttle properly, and when it had been completed he remained where he was, knowing there was more to come. A crackle of the communications system announced the technician's presence. "The refuelling will take about an hour to complete, we have a lounge you can relax in for that time if you like."

"No that's alright, there're a few things I need to take care of here," Wufei told the man while getting up from his seat. He hoped an hour would be enough for Zechs. Making his way to the back of the room Wufei pressed a button causing the door to slide away and reveal the cargo hold Zechs had spent his ride up in.

"Zechs?" he called softly, but he received no answer, He's already gone… Wufei thought, this caused a moment of frustration, he had wanted to go with Zechs if only to make sure he didn't strangle Heero with his bare hands.

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Re-cocking the dart gun Wufei had given him Zechs pressed his back firmly to the wall, and prepared to move deeper into the small base. He had been rather surprised at the low security and what few guards he came upon, but then he supposed the fact that no one knew this place existed gave them an edge beyond mean locked doors and sensors. The door he had been watching opened and Zechs waited, holding his breath, to see how many would come through. It was only one man his uniform nondescript; looking more like something a mechanic would wear than anything military. He passed Zechs' position without a second glance, and was totally unprepared when the dart struck him in the shoulder.

Dashing forward Zechs reached out to catch the man while placing a foot in the doorway to halt the automatic closure. It was a risk, but he only had an hour to get in and out. Slowly lowering the man to the floor Zechs quickly searched through his pockets for anything of use, and came across a key card. Smiling to himself Zechs slipped through the door, and quickly sought cover deeper in the open room. It took the former pilot a moment to truly take in his surroundings, the room was massive it's set up looking very familiar to his eyes. It had obviously been designed to store a mobile suit, it even had the multi-levelled catwalks for construction and repairs This is where they built Zero Zechs though silently, wondering at how none of them could have know the colony had such capabilities.

No Gundam stood within the room now, only row upon row of huge crates, Zechs had a sinking suspicion he knew what was in those boxes, Yuy's email had warned that Zero was going to be built again. It would seem that whoever was behind this had taken extra precautions in the building, and had had pieces shipped in after construction, so they could all be assembled. There wasn't much that he could do about it now, he was not prepared to destroy this place, and there was no telling what sort of damage that would do to the colony even if he did have the explosives necessary. All he could do for now was get Heero out, and hope that slowed them down for a while.

Weaving his way through the crates Zechs found one other man among them, and he too quickly succumbed to the sleeping dart. Within seconds Zechs was on the other side of the room at yet another door, he reached into his pocket and withdrew the key card sliding it through the reader, and waited for the small light to flash green. Checking his gun Zechs hoped he wouldn't be coming across too many others, as he was slowly running out of darts.

Stepping over the threshold Zechs fired a dart into the leg of a man who had unknowingly appeared from one of the rooms. He made to catch the falling man but the distance was too great, and a resounding thud echoed down the hall. Zechs winced at the sound but there was no help for it, the noise brought men out of their rooms quickly and Zechs dropped them all, grateful that their confidence in their security left them ill prepared for such an attack. Zechs waited several moments before moving forward wanting to make sure that everyone had been taken out.

When he was satisfied the former Lightning Count kept his back to the wall as he followed the slow curve in the hall. It all led to one door at the very end, that was his destination, the one he sought rested unaware behind the thick metal. Zechs found it odd to be standing here finally, just a few yards away from the man he had hated for so long, the man he had dreamed of killing numerous times. To be this close and yet still not be able have his revenge, bit deeply into Zechs, but he forced it aside with a will power he was surprised to find. He needed to remain focused, the clock was ticking and he still didn't know how many people waited behind that door.

Once more sliding his key card down the reader, Zechs let the door slide away before him, and stepped through firing. He never really looked at any of his targets, more just got a general feel for where they were in the room before removing them. That was the bonus—he had to admit, if only to himself—of working with a dart gun; aim was not necessary. Just hit them, and they will fall. There had been only four men in the room; a moment of luck on Zechs' part as he now only had one dart left in the gun. Slipping the gun into his coat Zechs took his first good look at the room, but his ice blue eyes only made it as far as Heero's prone form.

The traitor lay upon a table, his emaciated body surrounded by tubes and wires, his only cloths were a dingy pair of pants and a white coat-like shirt, which lay open revealing just how thin he was. It was easy to count each of his ribs as they stood out clearly. His hair was longer and lay limply about his gaunt face. Two IVs were attached to him, but only one seemed to be dripping any liquid, the bag had a bluish tint to it, and it was clear to Zechs' eyes that whatever fluid he was being fed it was doing nothing to hydrate him. None of this had any effect on Zechs, though he noted Yuy's poor condition he didn't care, it couldn't make its way though the waves of hatred.

Zechs glanced down at his watch surprised at how little time he had left, crossing the last little stretch to Heero's side Zechs began tearing away the wires, he needed to be back on the shuttle so they could leave without drawing any attention. A soft groan escaped Heero's lips as though he were waking up, but Zechs paid him no mind and continued his rushed work. Soon he had the traitor unhooked from the machinery and even the restraints they had used to hold him to the bed. There was only a moment of hesitation before Zechs made to lift the smaller man into his arms. The temptation to break his fragile body was just so strong.

Turning to walk away Zechs found a slight resistance, as though something were still attached to the traitors body. Laying him back down Zechs looked him over trying to find what he had missed. When he did finally locate the thin wire it was easy to see why he had over-looked it; most of the electrode, which seemed to be fed into a spot behind his ear, was concealed by his hair. With a steady hand Zechs removed the wire, and once more picked up Yuy's limp form. He made his way back through the base without hesitation, all the while trying his hardest not to think about how close the traitor was to him, and how easy it would be to just end everything now.

Yuy's eyes opened at one point, but it was clear he wasn't seeing anything, his head hung limply as though he couldn't find the strength to hold it up, and Zechs doubted he could, considering the shape he was in. He reached the ladder at the end of the hall, and shifted Yuy's body so he was draped over his shoulder, and quickly began to climb the distance. At the top he hesitated only as long as it took to make sure that no one would see his movements. Once outside he shut the concealing hatch and waited a moment until the coast was clear to make his way back to the shuttle. It was a bit more of a challenge to make it back on board the shuttle without drawing attention but it was not the most difficult thing Zechs had ever tried to do.

Zechs lowered his burden to the floor of the shuttle as the seal about the door closed tight and the lower gravity once more took hold. This seemed to help Yuy somewhat as he actually remained sitting there where Zechs had left him, his head lolling from one side to the other. There was no sign of Wufei in the cargo hold, and Zechs assumed he was in the cockpit making preparations for their departure. This pleased Zechs, as it had the potential to allow him a significant amount of time alone with the Traitor. Zechs found himself staring at Yuy, and couldn't help but think 'Oh how the mighty have fallen.' Every breath that Yuy took stabbed at Zechs as an abomination to this world, and he found himself speaking venting his frustrations on the seemingly unaware man. Somehow he managed to hold himself in check, keeping his abuse to simply the verbal, but the leash which held his rage was tentative at best.

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Heero was lost, his mind floating on the edge of the black abyss, and somewhere he could not recognise. His stomach flipped within him, but he knew there was nothing for him to throw up. He tired his best to suppress the nausea and gain some perspective of what was happening to him but it was an up hill battle. The pounding of his head was almost the only thing he could think of; it beat in time with his racing heart, and he just wanted to fall into the blackness of the beyond and forget all that had and would happen. But something was keeping him from just giving in. There was something about this situation that stood out to his confused and pained mind, something that made him hold on.

There was a person there…his senses were clouded but he was still fairly sure there was someone around him. How he got out of VR didn't matter, he was free from its grasp, and he needed to know what was happening. Vaguely he remembered an email, but Heero had no recollection of what had been written and to whom it had been sent. With a monumental effort that nearly sent his mind plummeting Heero managed to raise his head enough that he could strain his eyes to their limits and see who stood over him. It seemed to Heero that his eyes were actually seeing two sights layered over one another, and this did nothing to lessen the headache pounding behind his eyes nor the nausea biting deeply within him.

Slowly the one image came into focus, and Heero could see Zechs standing over him. He could not make out any great detail, but he recognised the man he had fought against so many times in the past. From the bottomless fog a memory surfaced, the contents of the email contained within it, and questions arose; why was he not dead? Did they know? Had his impossible dream been fulfilled? Heero couldn't stop himself, couldn't consider anything outside of that extreme hope, and a tired smile spread across his face.

::::::::::

Zechs halted dead in the middle of his rant, his last words echoing off the metal walls, "Did you enjoy the suffering you caused?!" Yuy's head had come up, and his eyes seemed to try and consider him, as a smile appeared upon his face. That was it. Something within Zechs snapped, the floodgate crumbled, and he was drowning. All he could hear was the roar of his anger, and his eyes could only see red, he fought to breathe in the sea of growing hatred. It focused itself solely upon Yuy's unsuspecting form, and Zechs found himself watching as though from the outside, as his clenched fist connected with Yuy's jaw, sending the younger man flying in the low gravity.

His frail body slammed into one of the piles of metal, and a cry of pain escaped his lips. He struggled as though trying to get up, but couldn't move, Yuy watched Zechs with one unfocused eye, as blood began to leak from his forehead, and cheek. Zechs was on him in a second grabbing him by both shoulders, and hauling him away from the metal. The small portion of his mind that was still conscious noted that Yuy's upper arm had been impaled on a thin spike of metal, but that realisation could not stop Zechs' rage, fuled by his utter hatred for the man who deserved this retribution so much.

He literally threw Yuy across the room into yet another pile of bound metal, he heard no sound from him as he struck and slipped to the floor, but there was more blood. It seemed to pour from every where, nearly coating Yuy completely, the sight of it seemed to enrage Zechs' anger even more. Internally he was aware that he had started shouting at Yuy, though what he said was lost to him, as he punctuated each accusation with a hard kick to the traitor's side.

Zechs felt hands grab his shoulders pulling him away from Yuy's form, and a fist connect with his jaw. "Enough!" he heard someone yell, and he blinked away the red to finally see with clear eyes. Wufei stood before him a horrified look on his face over what he had stumbled upon. Zechs glanced back behind him at Yuy's blood covered form, and felt no remorse for his actions, only the sparking of further anger.

Wufei, still holding his arms, shoved Zechs towards the door, "Pilot the shuttle, I want us back on earth as soon as possible!"

The spark flamed to life, at the Chinese man's orders, but that tiny rational part of his mind managed to regain control. "It took us twelve hours to get here…"

"That was when we didn't want to be noticed, make it in six of less," Wufei turned his back to Zechs, and the former Lightning Count left the room behind him noting absently the blood that coated one hand, and the tip of a boot. Payment of Yuy's crimes was not even close to being fulfilled, but they had him now, it was a start.

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The Consequences of One's Actions:

Sally pressed upon him how dangerous the patient was, which apparently was supposed to explain why it was necessary to take such measures, and also to keep him strapped down at all times. John had felt in those moments, that he might have stepped into something that was best avoided, but there was nothing to be done about it now. He was here, and it was time to see what all the fuss was truly about. Pressing the lock combination John watched as the door slid away before him, offering him his first look at this dangerous patient. What he found left him stunned beyond words.

It was a boy. A boy who could not possibly have been older than twelve... he was just a child. How had he ever got himself into such a situation? The lights in the room were dim, but John could still easily see that his clothes were blood soaked. Thick bandages covered him at more than one point, but they looked to his practised eyes to be little more than field dressings. As he understood it Heero had been present on the base since very early on the 29th so why on the 30th had none of his injuries been properly taken care of? Stepping deeper into the room John came closer to the boy, realising that his initial assumption about his age had in fact been wrong. The boy was quite a bit older than that, but his small form had tricked the old doctor's eyes, though knowing this did not help him to put an actual age on the Japanese boy.

Looking closer at the boy's face, it was hard to make much out, what with all the blood, but he felt as though he should recognise him. The answer struck him like a tidal wave, and he blinked looking the boy over again. Could this really be the famous Heero Yuy? Was this young boy the assassin who had tired to destroy the peace? There was no mistaking it now, John knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that this was indeed Relena's former guard; the one who tried to end her life. However realising this did nothing to diminish his disgust at the treatment Heero had received thus far. John had worked with Sally for years, taught her a great deal about what she now knew. He had taught her better than this; she should have never left a patient in this condition. Hatred was not reason enough for neglect.

Morganeth Taren'drel